


Dreams of Lost Love

by Sixylicious



Series: Halla, Hawk, and Fox [4]
Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 23:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4324947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sixylicious/pseuds/Sixylicious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She lets her companions think she dreams of darkspawn still, but the truth is more painful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dreams of Lost Love

The dreams came often now, almost nightly or even multiple times a night if she tried to sleep after one. Worse than the ones of the darkspawn, even those filled with the Archdemon screeching to the horde, were the others. More flashbacks than dreams, Valythari knew that, and it didn't make them any easier to accept. Alistair had tried to ask, as had Leliana and Zevran, but she could never make herself speak of them. She had let Alistair explain to the others that Grey Wardens could sense darkspawn, dreamt of them, let him convince them and himself that the dreams were only those and that she would be fine. Only she knew it was a lie.

_Following Tamlen through the ruins, trying to tell him that they should go back and get the Keeper. They were both inexperienced, these ruins were dangerous! Who knew what they would find? Tamlen wouldn't listen, she knew that. He never did. Eventually she gave in, following him willingly like she always had and enjoying the presence of her closest friend, her soul mate._

_"_ _I came to spend time with you, of course," she teased. "Someone has to make sure you stay out of trouble."_

_He laughed and grinned as he turned a corner, going further into the ruins. "You just can't resist me, vhenan."_

_She only smiled. Her nerves came back a short time later as long dead skeletons sprung from the floor and attacked them. With Tamlen's help, the battle wasn't too difficult, but what came next would be. A bear waited on the other side of the door, tainted by the darkspawn. She hadn't known that then, of course, had thought it was some sort of demon. All too quickly it was defeated and they were facing the mirror. It was happening too quickly now, she couldn't stop it no matter how desperately she wanted to. She couldn't lose him again!_

Valythari woke with a scream, startling both Alistair and Zevran awake. It didn't surprise her, they both slept lightly and Alistair could always tell when she was having nightmares. Zevran though... she wasn't sure what to make of the other elf's interest, but in the aftermath of the dream she desperately didn't want to be alone.

Alistair seated himself beside her, his expression concerned. "Are you alright?" She shook her head, all too aware of both men watching her every expression. She wasn't sure if she could speak. "These aren't darkspawn dreams, are they? It's been long enough, they should have gone away."

Her voice was soft, almost unable to be heard. "They're not."

"Then what are they?" Zevran asked. Valythari hadn't even noticed him sliding down on her other side, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder. Usually she didn't let him touch her, but for once she didn't mind the contact.

She lifted her gaze, gray eyes meeting Alistair's for the briefest of moments. "Did Duncan tell you how he found me?"

"Not with much detail, no," the other Warden responded. "Why?"

Valythari averted her eyes again. "We encountered some humans near our camp... They spoke of a cave filled with ruins and elven artifacts. We had to go investigate. We should have gone and gotten the Keeper, I don't know why I didn't insist! There were demons, and then the mirror... He... he looked into it, it mesmerized him, it showed him things. Then something saw him watching. They spoke to him, he said he could hear them. He touched it. There was this blinding light... then I remember nothing for two, nearly three days. When I woke, the Keeper said she had barely been able to keep me alive. Duncan found me in the woods, but Tamlen..." A tear dripped down her cheek. Before she could raise a hand to wipe it away, Zevran did it for her. "He was just gone. The mirror, it took him. It took him and it infected me with the taint, and if Duncan hadn't found me and recruited me I would be dead too."

Alistair's expression was sympathetic, she knew that without even looking.

"I'd only gotten my vallaslin the week before. He said... he would be with me through everything. He always had been. I didn't get to say goodbye..."

The guilt in her voice was undeniable and it was a sentiment the assassin knew well. What a twist of fate, that she had shown him mercy now that he knew they felt similarly about their pasts. "You love him," he murmured. As best he could estimate, it had only been a month since she had left her clan. Such a short amount of time wouldn't diminish those feelings any.

Valythari gave a single nod. "I always did..."


End file.
